Huntington School Board Notes
Huntington School Board members have approved a retirement request submitted by J. Taylor Finley Middle School physical education teacher Mary Paar, effective at the close of business on June 30, 2014. Trustees took the action during their public meeting this past Monday night in the J. Taylor Finley Middle School large group instruction room.
Trustees granted a leave of absence to Southdown School teacher Tiffanie Kelly, effective September 3 through January 16, 2014. New part-time faculty appointments were approved for Alyssa D’Agostino (Huntington High School science), Paige Tyree (secondary business) and Julian Watts (elementary and secondary health education). The appointments are effective for the 2013/14 school year.
Devin Auricchio was approved to work as a part-time high school art teacher. Speech teacher Kristen Murphy and elementary school classroom teachers Nicole Malizia (Washington School), Jason Suarez (Woodhull School), Melissa Lang (Washington School) and Dawn Ginty (Woodhull School) were all recalled from the district’s preferred eligible list.
The trustees also took the following actions:
• Accepted the resignation of Jefferson School classroom teacher Tricia Simon, effective Sept. 3, 2013.
• Authorized Superintendent James W. Polansky to attend a New York State Council of School Superintendents’ conference in September.
• Appointed Raffaela Montesano as the Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School coach for 2013/14. The position is funded through a state STLE grant.
• Approved Wanda Gonzalez to provide up to 15 hours of translation services for parent meetings with the superintendent of schools.
• Appointed Kenneth Card as the district-wide Dignity Act officer.
• Appointed Sam Gergis as the district’s residency hearing officer and Title IX compliance officer.
• Approved long-term substitute teacher/leave replacement appointments for Doreen Ellis (Flower Hill School) and Marilyn Broomer (Woodhull School) for the 2013/14 school year.
• Authorized up to 14 teachers to participate in professional development sessions related to the Google Chrome Book. The sessions are funded through a Title IIA grant.
• Approved Lahmel Beard to work as a long-term substitute courier for the district, effective August 6.
• Appointed Cable Jamison as the Huntington High School speed, strength and conditioning advisor.
• Appointed Patricia Quinn as an instructor in the driver education program.
• Authorized up to 15 teachers to participate in a summer science curriculum writing projects. The work is funded through a Title IIA grant.
• Approved nearly 40 individuals to serve as supervisors at district athletic events.
• Approved Angela Berner to work up to 10 days this summer on development and planning for the Common Core learning standards. The work is funded by a Title IIA grant.
• Approved the recall of teacher aides Shirley Bradford, Cynthia Vitulli, Ruth Santiago, Elizabeth Wood, Melissa Conroy and Patricia Gaspari. Their positions had previously been excessed.
• Approved changes in assignment for teacher aide Ilene Messina and custodian Morris Foster.
• Appointed Samantha Natalello and Allison Greenstein as Highstepper dance team advisors.
• Approved additional work for Giovanni Mendez, Linda Kohan, Kathryn Costa, Diana Rich, Kathleen Ozimkowski, Sumitra Sra, Vilma Matos, Mary DiBenedetto, Julissa Garris-Shade, Giselle Soto and Nina DiGioia related to grief counseling services.
• Approved professional development classes related to STEM school training for up to 15 teachers. The sessions will be funded through a state STLE grant.
• Approved a summer curriculum writing project related to school report cards/parent handbook. Up to eight K-6 teacher-writers will participate and be supervised by Angela Berner.
• Accepted the resignation of Assistant Superintendent Joseph Giani, effective July 19. He accepted a position as superintendent of the South Country Central School District.
• Approved a consultant services agreement with Dr. David Weissberg for medical services at all home football games during the 2013/14 school year.
• Authorized the transfer of monies from the Employee Benefit Accrued Liability Reserve the district’s General Fund to cover the cost of retirement incentives for departing employees.
• Approved a consultant services contract with Accessible Learning Technology Alternatives for assistive technology and augmentative communication evaluations and consultations.
• Approved a consultant services contract with Achieve Beyond for kindergarten speech screenings, special education evaluations and related services.
• Approved a consultant services contract with Benetech, Inc. for self-insured workers’ compensation third party administration services.
• Approved a summer mathematics curriculum writing project. Up to 16 teacher-writers spread across grade levels will participate and be supervised by department director Marybeth Robinette. The project will be funded through a state school improvement grant.
• Approved a special education services contract with the Brentwood Union Free School District.
• Approved a consultation services contract with Dr. Miguel Brzostovski for psychiatric evaluations.
• Approved a contract with Developmental Disabilities Institute in Smithtown.
• Approved a consultation services agreement with Susan Gochman for occupational therapy services.
• Approved a consultant services contract with Helping Hands Consultation Services, Inc. d/b/a Helping Hands Children Services for special education evaluations and related services.
• Approved an educational services agreement with Hope For Youth.
• Approved a consultant services agreement with Island Better Hearing for audiological services for students.
• Approved a consultant services contract with Islip Tutoring Service, Inc. for special education evaluations and related services.
• Approved a consultant services contract with Marion K. Salomon & Associates, Inc. for special education evaluations and related services.
• Approved a consultant services contract with Metro Therapy, Inc. for special education evaluations and related services.
• Approved a consultant services contract with Nassau Suffolk Services for Autism for parent training, behavior consultations, special education evaluations and related services.
• Approved a consultant services contract with New York Therapy Placement Services, Inc. for special education evaluations and related services.
• Approved a resolution establishing an hourly rate at $135 for litigation support services performed on behalf of the district by law clerks.
• Approved the participation of Huntington High School in the Town of Huntington’s Youth Court program for the 2013/14 school year.
• Approved a consultant services contract with O’Connell, Selig & Associates, LLP for various student related services.
• Approved an extension of a school food management contract between the district and Whitsons School Nutrition Corp.
• Accepted a donation by Dave deBruin and Ellen Malezewski of a drafting table. It has an approximate value of $100.
• Approved an overnight field trip request for the Huntington High School marching band to travel to Orlando, Florida in February.
• Approved a consultant services contract with Lynn R. Soriano for speech/language therapy services.
• Approved a consultant services contract with South Shore Center for Speech, Language and Swallowing Disorders, LLP for the evaluation and/or treatment of speech, language, swallowing and/or voice disorders.
• Approved a school service agreement with United Cerebral Palsy Association of Greater Suffolk, Inc. for various student related services.
• Approved a consultant services agreement with W Cole Consulting-Educational Data Management for work related to the development of elementary school master schedules.
• Approved placing hundreds of obsolete books on the district’s surplus bid list.
• Approved extra duty assignments for high school music teachers Brian Stellato (wind ensemble; Tri-M music honor society), Lisa Leonardi (chamber orchestra), Veronica Mainville (Tri-M music honor society; choral director; jazz choir) and Jason Giachetti (jazz ensemble) and middle school music teachers Deborah Kim (honor strings ensemble), Josephine Rosado (show choir), Christopher Scarnato (jazz ensemble) and Frank Battista (wind ensemble).
• Approved Woodhull School physical education teachers Carrie Postel and Eric Triolo to conduct intramural sessions during the fall and spring semesters.